Simon Hewitt Jones

Rewriting my biog! Here's the boring formal one whilst you're waiting ;) ** Simon Hewitt Jones records and broadcasts widely as a solo violinist, concertmaster, teacher, writer, chamber musician, music researcher and leader of the Fifth Quadrant (5Q) music collective. He is involved extensively with projects that explore the intersection of music, technology, education, and cultural diplomacy. Simon’s solo and chamber music performances have been featured internationally in festivals and TV/Radio throughout Europe, the USA and the Middle East, including NPR’s Performance Today and BBC Radio 2, 3 and 4. His first recording as a soloist with the Royal Ballet Sinfonia was released in December 2016. His debut chamber music recording won a BBC Music Magazine ‘Premiere’ award. He tours extensively in the UK, and has appeared at most of the UK’s major venues, including the Bridgewater Hall, the Barbican and the South Bank Centre. Simon has contributed extensively to commercial projects for Universal Music, and his string section has recorded sessions for EMI, Virgin, Naxos and the BBC. He has played and recorded for artists such as Massive Attack, Elton John and Ed Sheeran, and arranged a string section for Deltron3030 at the 2016 Glastonbury Festival. Simon's ensemble has worked extensively with corporate clients including Deutsche Bank, Waitrose, the Future Laboratory, and many others. Simon is a regular guest concertmaster of orchestras and ensembles in the UK, Europe and Middle East. He is currently working on a research project at the Royal Academy of Music, exploring systems of violin pedagogy. He is the founder of ViolinSchool, an online school for the violin, and also runs a private violin teaching practice in London. Simon is the grandson of composers Tony and Anita Hewitt Jones. His father Tim is a cellist at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and brother Thomas is a composer.